FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT ST LOUIS RAMS - PAGE 2

Last week's record: 1-1 Season to date (straight up): 173-83 New England Patriots (13-5) vs. St. Louis Rams (16-2) TV/radio: 5:18 p.m. Sunday; WFLD-Ch. 32, WSCR-AM 670. Line: Rams by 14. Last meeting: Rams won 24-17 at New England on Nov. 18. Players to watch: Patriots second-year quarterback Tom Brady will be under enormous pressure. In his last six games he has thrown only two TD passes vs. six interceptions. Rams will rely on the running and receiving of Marshall Faulk.

"Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons" Sunday (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.): One glance at this matchup doesn't necessarily get the football juices flowing. But don't give up on it just yet. The Cincinnati Bengals are quietly developing a competitive team, anchored by a strong defensive front led by LB Takeo Spikes and defensive end Justin Smith. Their assignment in the Georgia Dome will chiefly consist of containing Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, a burner with a gun for an arm who has some nice offensive weapons at his disposal, namely running backs Warrick Dunn and top draft pick T.J. Duckett, and receiver Peter Warrick.

Orlando Pace, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft out of Ohio State, has agreed to terms with the St. Louis Rams after missing most of training camp in a holdout. The announcement was made Friday night during the Rams-Cowboys exhibition game. Pace's agent, Kevin Poston, said the seven-year contract was worth about $25.6 million. Pace can opt out of the contract after three years if certain playing time incentives are met. The two sides had been at a standstill since the last offer by the Rams of a six-year deal for $24.7 million--only $9.5 million of which was guaranteed.

The subterfuge and misdirection that takes place with the Bears defense is sometimes as difficult to pick up as the plot line in an Academy Award-winning thriller. But that's the essence of acting: the ability to make fiction believable. And the Bears could impress members of the academy with the roles they play in disguising coverage schemes, which is what they'll need to do when they face the St. Louis Rams on "Monday Night Football." The goal is for all 11 Bears defenders to work as an ensemble to dupe opposing quarterbacks and offensive linemen into costly, even game-changing errors.

Curie High graduate Victor Adeyanju, who played at Indiana, was the fourth-round pick of the St. Louis Rams, who are trying to build depth along the defensive line behind starters Leonard Little and Tony Hargrove. The Rams told the 6-foot-4-inch, 275-pound Adeyanju he would get a chance to be a situational pass rusher during his rookie season. "I think I've been put in the best position to succeed," Adeyanju said. "I'm so glad they selected me. I'm ready to help out on special teams.

Tampa Bay (1-4) at St. Louis Rams (3-2) 8 p.m., WLS-Ch. 7 Things you should know: Both teams were two of the NFC's powerhouses earlier this decade. Now? Not so much. But this is 2004. Big difference. And while the Rams are at least above .500, they should remember: Tampa Bay's lone victory came against a team (New Orleans) that beat St. Louis this year. Rams have Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson. Bucs have Brian Greise. You make the call (hint: Don't pick Griese). The Line: Rams by 6 1/2 Over/Under: 42 1/2 Final shake: Rams.

Free-agent tight end Ken Dilger agreed to terms on a three-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wednesday as new coach Jon Gruden continued to retool the team's offense. The Bucs also agreed to terms on a three-year deal with receiver Karl Williams, who has 123 receptions for 1,509 yards and six touchdowns in six seasons with Tampa Bay. The team also released receivers Drew O'Connor and Frank Rice, center Elmer Bench and linebacker Andre Offing. - Free-agent linebacker Eddie Robinson, who played for the Tennessee Titans for the last eight seasons, agreed to terms on a two-year contract with the Buffalo Bills.

Look out NFL, the St. Louis Rams have a stingy defense and a precise offense. Veteran Aeneas Williams forced two early turnovers as the Rams outclassed the Atlanta Falcons 36-0 Monday night. Atlanta managed only 209 yards in St. Louis' first shutout in two years. Williams picked off Doug Johnson's ill-advised first-quarter pass in the end zone, then forced and recovered a fumble in the second period. Both turnovers set up scoring drives as St. Louis took a 10-0 halftime lead.

Kurt Warner has been excused from the St. Louis Rams' three-day mini-camp that begins Friday, the final sign that the team plans to release the two-time NFL MVP after June 1. Mark Bartelstein, Warner's agent, said a mutual decision was reached "a couple of days ago." Warner has been participating in the Rams' off-season conditioning program, but the minicamp is geared more to team activities. - Baltimore Ravens backup quarterback Anthony Wright will undergo surgery on his right shoulder next week, a procedure that could force him to miss most of the season.